Improvement in apparatus for burning soft coal in locomotives



Ayn. RAND;

Apparatus for Burning Soft Boa? in Locnmetives.

No. 134,314; Patented Dec.24,1872.

.AL()NZO G. RAND, OF AURORA, ILLINOIS.

IMFRCVEMENT IN APPARATUS FOR BURNING SOFT COAL IN LOCOMOTIVES.

Specification formingpart of Letters Patent No. ll3d,3lld, dated December 24, 1872.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALONZO O. RAND, of Aurora, in the county of Kane and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Process and Apparatus for Burning Soft or Bituminous Goals in Locomotive and other Furnaces; and do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and

exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The object of this invention is to perfectly consume soft or bituminous coals in locomotive and other furnaces; and the nature of my invention consists in placing within the furnaces of steam-boilers a magazine for holding a large supply of coal; also, in the introduction of steam and air in combination into the space provided for its reception, and delivering the same into the mass of incandescent coals for the purpose of decomposing the steam and utilizing its constituents by mixing them with the rich hydrocarbon vapors from the coal.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to make anduse the same, I will now proceed to describe its construction andoperation, referring to the annexed drawing which forms a part of this specification, and in which- Figure l is a longitudinal vertical section, and Fig. 2 a transverse vertical section, of so much of a boiler-furnace as will show my invention.

A represents the top or inner sheet (crownsheet) of a boiler, the outside sheet not being shown in the drawing. B is the magazinestorage for coal-and is made double, as shown.

0 is the door in the magazine for filling the same, provided with a damper, a. D D are inlets or ports of admission for air under defiectors b b, said inlets being provided with dampers for regulating the admission of air. E is the air and steam delivery pipe, leading into the space in the double-shell magazine B. d is a stop-cock on the steanrpipe F, to regulate the quantity of steam furnished to the mouth of the pipe E, the end of said pipe F being contracted,.or the outlet m'ade small, and placed within the mouth of the pipe E, which is open to let air pass in. G G are the fine-entrances to the balance of the boiler,

which is not shown in the drawing. H H are the grate-bars.

The operation of my invention is as follows: A fire is first kindled upon the grate H with wood or coke, and when the fuel is well ignited the magazine is filled with coal and the damper in the magazine door is opened, and sufficient air is permitted to enter to maintain partial combustion and carry the vapors arising from the coal downward and under the bottom of the magazine, where it meets and is brought into intimate contact with the air that is conducted through the air-passages D, and which escapes through the apertures After the steam has become generated, the stop-cock or valve 01 is opened and the steam passes into the air-injector pipe E, where it becomes mixed with air. It then passes inward and enters into the space separating the magazine-shells; the magazine being double for the purpose of superheating the steam, and also to prevent the destruction of the magazine by fire. The outlet for the steam and air is on the inside of the magazine, near the bottom", as shown by the small perforations marked 0 6. There are also other similar outlets on the bottom edge of the magaiine for similar purposes.

The steam and air, passing with considerable force into the incandescent coal, produce a very powerful heat, and the result is that the oxygen of the steam unites with the carbon of the coal and forms carbonic oxide, and

the hydrogen becomes liberated. This unites with the rich vapors of the coal, and, with the air, forms a good diluent. Thus smoke is prevented, and a very powerful flame is sent through the boiler-fines.

If it is desirable to subdue the heat, the damper in the feed-door is closed, and the steam-cock is closed or partially closed. By the use of these appliances the production of steam is under perfect control.

The ordinary ash-box or pit can be used with this invention, although not shown in the drawing.

The advantages of this invention are very great: First, the infrequency of charging with coal is a great advantage. All who are familiar with the use of soft coal are aware of the fact that only a small quantity fed at a time can be used with any advantage. The frequeney of opening the doors to feed the'coal withdraws, by the currents of air passing in, a large amount of heat; While with this invention, in an ordinary-sized locomotive, a ton of coal can be put into the magazine at a charge. The saving of the fuel by producing thorough combustion is a decided advantage. The prevention of smoke is also a great advantage.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The double-shell magazine within the firebox, provided with a feed-door and damper, and outlet-holes for the air and steam, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

2. The steam-pipe and air-injector with stopcock, in combination with the magazine, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

3. The deflector and air-passages, provided- 

